New Beginnings
by margeyadis
Summary: After her mother's death, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks, Washington to live with her father, Charlie. She reconnects with her childhood friend, Jacob Black, and is swept into the world of werewolves and vampires. NOW ON PERMANENT HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

**Shoutout to my new Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.**

 **I uploaded this before but then I hit writer's block so I couldn't continue with it. I know this story is following the movies but instead of Bella getting together with Edward, she gets together with Jacob. If you've read my other Twilight stories, it's obvious I'm Team Jacob.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga**

* * *

 **BPOV**

I don't have many memories of Forks. I was four years old when my mother left my father. She took me with her and we moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Growing up, my mother was never romantically involved with anyone after my father. She never even went on dates. All her focus was on making sure I had food, water, and a roof over my head.

After her funeral, I was sent to live with my father, Charlie. I'm only seventeen years old, which means that I am still a minor and don't have a choice in the matter. Charlie, however, was ecstatic that I was moving back to live with him. Since my mom and I left, he's been trying to reach out to me but she wouldn't let him. She never told me why she left, but now that I'm here in Forks, Charlie has a second chance at being my dad.

Charlie picked me up from the Seattle airport in his police cruiser. It was a near-silent car ride with only the awkwardly mumbled "Sorry about your mom" when I first got in. In my periphery, I would occasionally see Charlie shoot me glances like he wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.

We pull up in front of the white two-story house I spent my first four years in. "I had it renovated," I hear Charlie say. "In case you had ever wanted to come and visit. I guess that's a little more permanent now that you're going to be living here."

I open the passenger door and get out of the car without saying anything. Charlie does the same and goes around the back to grab my suitcases and bags from the trunk.

When we get inside, I follow Charlie up the stairs. He tells me he's left a few shelves in the bathroom for me. "Oh, right. One bathroom," I mutter as I follow him to my room. He also tells me that he had the walls repainted and got rid of the old furniture in exchange for new ones.

"The saleslady picked out the bed stuff," Charlie explains as he sets down my suitcases and bags by the foot of the bed. "You like purple, right?"

"Purple's cool," I say. "Thanks."

Awkward silence falls between us. Charlie glances around the room, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, I'll leave you to it," he says, walking past me and down the stairs.

* * *

I jerk awake in bed, not realizing I had fallen asleep after I unpacked my stuff. The front door is ajar when I walk down the stairs to the living room. I go to open it a little wider and find Charlie in the driveway, talking to two men. One is in a wheelchair.

"Bella, you remember Billy Black?" Charlie asks when I step outside. He gestures to the man in the wheelchair. The man, Billy, is heavyset with russet skin, a deeply wrinkled face and black eyes.

"You look good," I say, reaching out to shake his hand which he reciprocates.

"Still dancing," he smiles, letting go of my hand. "I heard about your mom. My condolences to you." He puts a hand over his heart before continuing. "But I'm glad you're finally here. Charlie here hasn't shut up about it since he told us you were coming."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Charlie roll his eyes.

"You remember my son, Jacob?" Billy gestures to the tall young man behind him.

The man, Jacob is smiling at me when I make eye contact with him. He's the splitting image of his father with long, glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck and dark eyes. It's hard to tell underneath the black hoodie and dark wash jeans he's wearing but he also has a strong, muscular build, like he works out every day.

"We used to make mud pies when we were little," Jacob points out.

"I remember," I reply. There is an awkward silence before anyone speaks again.

"So, what do you think?" Charlie asks, gesturing to the red truck I hadn't noticed was right there next to us in the driveway.

"This?" I point at it.

"Yeah," he says. "Just bought it from Billy."

"I rebuilt the engine for you so it should run pretty nicely," Jacob tells me. "Why don't I show you how to drive it?"

For the first time since arriving in Forks, I'm smiling. I've had a driver's license but no car to go along with it. Now I finally will have both, even if it's just a beat-up old truck. I'm okay with that. And with Jacob Black taking me out for my first drive in it, I'm even more okay.

* * *

Charlie, the chief of police, pulled some strings to get me into Forks High School in the middle of semester. So the following Monday, I'm driving to school in my truck, my blue backpack sitting in the passenger seat beside me. The school had sent the supplies I needed for my classes, including my schedule and locker number and combination. I was bummed when Jacob told me he doesn't go to Forks High School. He's at the school on the La Push reservation where he and his dad live; it would've been nice to know one person.

Everyone is staring at me as I pull into the student parking lot and park my truck in one of the stalls. "Nice ride," one guy comments as I get out, grabbing my backpack and swinging it over my shoulder along the way. He's sitting on one of the picnic tables with what I'm assuming are his friends. It's not a rude comment.

"Thanks," I mutter as I walk past him and his friends.

 _Here goes nothing,_ I think as I take the steps one at a time to the front open door of the building, clutching my backpack. Once I step inside, a guy wearing a blue shirt and jeans immediately approaches me.

"Hi, you're Isabella Swan, the new girl," he says, smiling and reaching out his hand for me to shake. "I'm Eric, the eyes and ears of this place. So if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask. But I would love to feature you on the front page of our school newspaper. I'm the editor."

"Oh, please don't involve me in anything," I beg him. "I don't like the attention." Even though I'm already getting a lot of it with everyone walking by and staring at me.

Eric's smile momentarily falters. "No feature then."

I give him a small smile, silently thanking him.

"Do you need someone to show you around?" he asks.

I shake my head. "I'll be fine," I say.

"Okay, cool," Eric says, the smile never leaving his face. "Well, I have to go but I'll see you later, yeah?"

I just nod my head and he walks away. I sigh and start walking down the hallway, looking for my locker, hoping my first day goes by quickly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga**

* * *

 **BPOV  
**

I think I made one enemy just because I spoke to a guy that some other girl likes during P.E. class. We were playing volleyball, one of the very many sports I'm not good at, but I wasn't really participating. I was just standing off to the side while my teammates went for the ball as it came to them. Luckily, nobody was paying any attention to me. But when the ball did come straight at me, I smacked it right into the back of a blonde-haired guy's head. The boys were all playing basketball on the other side of the gymnasium. He was clutching his head when I ran up to him.

"I'm sorry. I told them not to let me play."

He turned around but instead of being mad, he smiled when he saw me, rubbing the spot where the ball hit him. "Oh, no. It's okay," he assured me. "You're Isabella Swan, right?"

"Just Bella," I told him.

He reached out his hand for me to shake. "Hi, I'm Mike Newton."

And it went on from there. I was surprised neither of us got in trouble since we were talking during class. Mike asked me questions about Arizona and why I moved to Forks. I didn't want to tell him the reason why, so instead I just told him I needed to spend more time with my dad. Which is true now that I think about it.

When class ended, I felt a pair of eyes staring at me while the girls were heading to the locker room to change. I turned around to find one of them glaring at me. She was a couple inches shorter than me and wearing the standard P.E. uniform, along with a ponytail and black headband. I didn't know what her problem was, but I was guessing it had something to do with me talking to Mike. She must have a crush on him or something and is jealous because he seems to have an interest in me instead of her. If that were the case, I wish I could tell her there's nothing going on between us. Mike and I were just talking, but I'm afraid she wouldn't listen to what I have to say anyway. She seems like that kind of girl no one should mess with.

Mike invited me to have lunch with him and a group of his friends. I was reluctant at first but agreed. Even though I made one enemy, at least I'll make a few friends. Charlie had given me lunch money even though I told him he didn't have to do that; I have some money saved from when I babysat for the neighbours in Arizona.

Once I'm out of the lunch line with my tray of food, I hear someone call my name. Mike and his friends are sitting at a table near the back of the cafeteria. As I make my way toward them, I see that Eric, the guy I met earlier, is among them. So is the girl who apparently hates me. She's glaring at me from across the table as Mike gets up from his chair, offering it to me.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," I tell him.

"It's my pleasure," he says with a smile.

I place my tray on the table and sit down. Mike sits in the vacant chair beside me.

"Let me introduce you to the group," he starts, gesturing to Eric. "You've already met Eric." He gestures to the girl, who is still glaring at me. Mike seems unfazed by it. "That's Jessica." He gestures to the guy sitting beside Jessica. "That's Tyler." He gestures to the other girl sitting beside me on my left. "And that's Angela."

Aside from Eric and Jessica, I recognize Tyler as the guy from this morning when he made a comment about my truck. He just smiles at me, saying nothing.

"Do you mind if I take your picture?" Angela asks, holding out her camera. "It's for the school newspaper."

"Actually, Angie, we're not doing the feature," Eric tells her, a hint of anger in his voice, though he doesn't show it on his face.

"Oh," she says, sounding sad. She stares down at her camera, picking at the strap attached to it.

"I'm sorry," I apologize.

She waves a hand at me. "It's fine. I guess I'll go back to writing articles about teen drinking and all the other stuff the students here are always making rude comments about."

Everyone except me and Jessica, who looks like she wants to kill me, laughs at that. Though, I don't see what's funny about it.

Jessica eventually leaves the table with her now empty tray and doesn't come back. Instead, I see her leave the cafeteria, her bag slung over her shoulder. Angela sees this too.

"Don't worry about her," she tells me and I turn to look at her. "She'll come around."

"What's her problem?" I ask, trying not to sound rude.

"Well, did you do something to make her hate you?" Angela asks and I just stare at her. "What, you think I didn't notice she was staring daggers at you?"

I think back to P.E. class. Thankfully, Mike is too deep in conversation with Eric and Tyler to pay attention. But I whisper anyway to Angela. "She saw me talking to Mike earlier in P.E. class." I go on to explain what happened.

"Yeah, she's had a crush on him since freshman year," Angela says when I'm finished. "But he only likes her as a friend and nothing more."

"I wish I could tell her there's nothing going on," I say, picking at my salad.

"Don't worry about it," Angela says. "At least you've got me."

I smile and then something catches my eye. A group of teens enter the cafeteria through the back door, which is strange because I thought the back door was for emergencies only.

"Who are they?" I ask Angela, gesturing to the group.

She follows my gaze. "The Cullens," she explains. "They're Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's adopted children and moved here from Alaska a year ago. They're really weird and they're all together. Like _together_ together. I'm not even sure that's legal."

As they're walking past us, Angela goes on to explain more about them, whispering so they don't hear. "The blonde girl's Rosalie and the tall, burly guy with her is Emmett. The other girl with the pixie cut is Alice and the guy with her is Jasper, who looks like he's in pain."

"And who's he?" I ask, gesturing to the guy who is the last one to enter the cafeteria.

"That's Edward," Angela says. "Totally hot but I wouldn't waste my time with him. He looks like the bad boy type, but it's cool if you're into that sort of thing. I'm just not."

I'm gazing at the tall guy name Edward, who looks like a Greek god with short, messy copper colour hair, high cheekbones, a strong jawline, perfect eyebrows, a straight nose, and full lips. He meets my gaze as he walks by and stops, our eyes locking for just a moment. Then he looks away and goes to where his siblings are sitting at a table on the other side of the cafeteria.

We continue eating our lunch and making conversation. Mike, Eric, and Tyler left the table to go do their own thing so it's just me and Angela, who I now call my new best friend. My back is turned but I can feel Edward's eyes on me. And sure enough, when I glance behind me, he's staring.

When the bell rings to signal that lunch is over, he and his siblings are nowhere to be seen as Angela and I get up from our table and leave the cafeteria.

* * *

I'm glad when the day's finally over. Charlie's police cruiser is parked in front of the house when I pull into the driveway. Which is weird because I figured he would still be at work.

When I enter the house, I see him sitting on the couch in the living room, watching what looks to be a baseball game on the flat screen TV. Billy is with him, his wheelchair parked beside the couch.

"Oh, hey Bella," Charlie calls, not bothering to turn around. "How was your first day?"

"It was good," I tell him. "I made a new friend."

"That's great," he says and adds that Billy is here, as if I hadn't noticed before.

"Where's Jake?" I ask Billy, who is also paying no attention to me.

"He's got a lot of homework to do so he's at home, working on it," he says.

I don't say anything else since both of them are practically glued to the TV. I head upstairs to my room and drop my backpack on the floor. Sitting on my bed, I think back to what happened after lunch.

I had biology class next. When I walked into the room, Edward was there, sitting at one of the lab tables beside the only empty seat. I had no choice so I walked over and sat down beside him. When I did, Edward had his hand over his mouth and I could tell his face was all scrunched up, like he smelled something disgusting. Thinking it was probably me, I discreetly smelled my armpits and hair. I smelled fine, like a mixture of strawberries and vanilla.

I don't know what his problem is but I plan to confront him the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga**

* * *

 **BPOV**

Edward never showed up to school the next day. Or the rest of the week for that matter. I know I shouldn't care, but I wanted to know why he had acted like such a jerk that day in biology. A simple "Hi, I'm Edward" would've sufficed. Instead he had to scrunch up his face because he thought I smelled disgusting.

The strange thing is that the other Cullens have been at school. I had waited in the parking lot next to my truck for Edward one day, and they all pulled up in their Jeep. They kept glancing in my direction as they got out. I made sure to not stare at them, but I think they saw I was hoping to find Edward.

That same day, Jessica cornered me in the hallway while I was on my way to our P.E. class, my gym bag slung over my shoulder. She got in my face, forcing me to press my back against the wall. Because of her height, she could only tilt her head slightly upwards so her eyes lock with mine.

"Listen up, _Bella_ ," she said in a sarcastic tone, poking my chest with her finger. "You better stay away from Mike Newton. I've had a crush on him for some time now, and the last thing I need is for some new girl to walk in and take him from me. So stay away or I will make your life a living hell. You hear me, bitch?"

I vigorously nodded my head, afraid of this girl.

"Good. I'll see you in class," she tells me and walks away, leaving me to my own devices.

I may have a target on my back. What a great way to begin at a new school.

* * *

 **EPOV**

She was so beautiful. And human. _Bella,_ Alice said her name was. From where I sat, I could smell her blood coursing through her veins. I wanted to pounce on her, sink my teeth into her flesh. But I couldn't. We were in a public place. One slip-up and we're all exposed.

I'm still learning how to resist human blood. Carlisle wanted us to become "vegetarians," meaning that we will only feed on animal blood. So far, aside from him and Esme, it's been easy for Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper. But not for me. _She_ just had to show up and ruin everything.

That day, I followed Bella home from school. The others went home in Emmett's Jeep while I ran at superhuman speed. I stopped when I reached her house and hid between the trees. I saw her through the window from where I stood and followed her with my eyes as she walked up the stairs to her room, setting her backpack down on the floor. I continued to watch her, licking my lips, as she just sat there on her bed for a few moments before getting up and changing out of her school clothes and into pajamas. Eventually, I got tired and ran home. Knowing Carlisle and the father he's pretending to be, he will be waiting for me with another lecture about how humans are not to be played with.

* * *

Carlisle is not allowing me to go back to school after our talk. He thinks due to my sudden urge for human blood, it's dangerous for me to be out there with humans. So I'm stuck at home with Esme keeping an eye on me while Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper go to school and Carlisle goes to work as a doctor at Forks Hospital. For such a petite woman, Esme is stronger than all of us. Even Carlisle is afraid of her when she's in "Hulk" mode as we all like to call it.

It's been two weeks and I'm still stuck at home with Esme. There was one time when I tried to sneak out so I could spy on Bella again, but Esme grabbed me by the ear before I could make it out the front door, threw me down on the couch in the living room, and gave me the same lecture Carlisle keeps giving me. She even threatened to rip me in half if I ever try to sneak past her again. So I had Alice send me updates on Bella via text. She told me that Bella has been looking for me, clearly upset about my behaviour that first day and demanding answers. I don't know why she is demanding answers for my behaviour. Since we came back to Forks, no one has bothered to approach us at school. It's like we're the flu and they're afraid to catch it.

* * *

The following Monday, Carlisle knocks on my door. Without awaiting a response, he enters into my room where I'm laid out on the white love seat, reading a book. I sit up so he can take the empty spot beside me.

"I'm going to let you go back to school with the others," he starts. I don't say anything because I can tell there's more. "But this cannot happen again. You've been doing so well with resisting human blood. I need you to try again. I need you to start blending in. Because I cannot risk getting the Volturi involved, not to mention the werewolves."

The Volturi coven are not to be messed with. They establish and enforce the laws for vampires to follow. Failure to do so results in being executed, ripped apart, and the pieces burned. Their most important law is that we cannot expose ourselves to the outside world. The werewolves can also be just as bad as the Volturi. Years ago when we were still living in Forks, we hunted on the Quileute land and got caught by the Chief. Instead of the wolves killing us, we made a treaty with them. If we promised not to hunt on their land, they wouldn't expose us to the outside world. However, if we were to kill a human or worse, turn them, the wolves have no choice but to kill us. And while I hate to admit it, they are fast.

I realize too late that I've drifted off into space. As I tune back in, I see that Carlisle has noticed my dazed look, and in turn is looking at me with concern.

"Do I have to worry about you, Edward?" he asks.

I purse my lips. "No," I tell him.

"Good," Carlisle gets up to leave but he stops in the open doorway and turns around to face me. "I need you to stay away from Bella when you go back. I know it's technically impossible because she's in one of your classes, but I need you to stay away from her."

"And what if I can't?"

"Then don't do anything stupid," Carlisle says before exiting my room and walking downstairs, closing the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga**

* * *

 **BPOV**

"Dad, what do you know about the Cullens?" I ask, picking at the sesame seeds on my garden burger. Even though I can cook, we've been eating at the only diner in Forks almost every night. This diner is one place I remember from Forks. The waitress is even the same and happens to remember me. She even told me I had grown up into a beautiful young woman.

Charlie swallows the piece of steak he had popped in his mouth. "Dr. Cullen is a very respected doctor at the hospital, even though he's only been working there for a year. He and his wife have five adopted children and they all go to the same school as you." He raises an eyebrow. "Why? Have you met them already?"

"Well, sort of," I say. "I saw them in the cafeteria. Angela was the one who told me about them."

"They're good kids," Charlie says, taking a sip of his water. "They've never gotten into trouble. Dr. Cullen and his wife have taught them well."

I don't want to point out my suspicions about them. Charlie is the chief of police after all, and I don't want to get them into trouble. So instead, we eat dinner in comfortable silence.

* * *

Edward finally came back to school after two weeks of being absent. This time when I walked into the classroom and he was there, he didn't cover his mouth or scrunch up his face in disgust when I sat down at my usual seat beside him. Instead, he spoke to me. Which actually surprised me.

"Hi," he said in a musical-like voice. "I'm sorry about my rude behaviour a couple of weeks ago. I'm Edward Cullen. You're Isabella Swan, right?"

"Bella, yes," I told him.

And that was it. We didn't talk while we worked on assignments, but at least he spoke to me and apologized for his rude behaviour. That was enough for me.

When class ended and I walked out to my locker, Edward followed me. He was being discreet, but I could still make him out in the throng of people in the hallway. When we made eye contact, he just waved and walked in the opposite direction. I had a creepy feeling like he was still following me even as I got home from school.

At least Jessica wasn't in P.E. class. I didn't even see her in the halls, which was a relief. What wasn't a relief was that Angela and Eric had some sort of meeting with their newspaper staff, and Tyler was out sick. So it was just me and Mike at our usual table in the cafeteria during lunch.

"So Bella, I was wondering, would you like to go out to dinner with me on Friday night?" he asked. "There's this really fancy restaurant in Port Angeles that has amazing food. It's pretty pricey, but we can go Dutch and split the check."

If there weren't any witnesses, I would've slapped Mike in the face. Or even punched him for that matter. I've never been on a date before, but I'm pretty sure it's usually the guy who pays for dinner because it's the gentlemanly thing to do. And Mike is not being a gentleman if he's just going to pay half for the food.

Instead, I say, "That's really sweet of you, Mike, but I'm not interested in dating anyone right now." Also, he must know Jessica's crush on him; what he doesn't know is that she threatened my life if I keep talking to him. I don't want to tell him though. Even if I did, Mike would just shrug it off, saying there's nothing to worry about when there actually is.

Mike's face falls, but he doesn't push it further. Instead, we both eat our lunch in awkward silence.

* * *

Billy and Jake have been coming over to Charlie's a lot. Most days, it's because Jake would not stop talking to his dad about me so they _have_ to come over so he can see me and we can hang out. We've become best friends, much to both our dads' happiness. But I could tell they wanted us to be more.

"He likes you," Charlie pointed out one day while I making sandwiches for Jake and I. He was standing in the doorway separating the kitchen and living room, leaning against the frame, a bottle of beer in one hand. "Why don't you two go out on a date or something?"

My back turned to him, I said, "Because I just got here. And I don't know him that well."

"You can try to get to know him," Charlie said. "I know you guys haven't seen each other in years, but he's a good guy, Bells. At least give him a chance."

I sighed and turned around to face him. "Is this you trying to get me to date your best friend's son?"

He put his hands up in defeat. "I just think you'd make a nice couple." He left to go back to watching the baseball game with Billy in the living room. I could hear them chatter about me and what sounded like laughter.

I put the sandwiches on a plate and brought it out to the backyard where Jake and I were hanging out. I didn't say anything as I handed one to him and we ate in amicable silence.

Thinking back to what Charlie said, I found myself staring at Jake, who was staring straight ahead at the trees while he ate his sandwich. Sensing my stare, he turned his head toward me and smiled that same smile he gave me when we first met, the corners of his eyes crinkling. At that moment, I started to question my feelings for my best friend.


	5. Chapter 5

**Shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga**

* * *

 **BPOV**

It's been a long time since I've been to the reservation. The last time I was in La Push, it was a week before my mom decided she was going to leave Charlie. Charlie took me to the Blacks' house so he could hang out with Billy and I could hang out with Jake. Jake had been playing in the mud when we pulled up in front of the house. Charlie was disgusted, but I thought it looked like fun so I joined Jake and we made mud pies. My mom was not happy when Charlie and I came home four hours later to find that I was covered in mud from the neck down. I had to take a bath, and it took five washes for the mud stains and the smell to come out of my clothes. It was a lot of fun in the end, though.

Today, Jake invited me to a bonfire party on First Beach. Since Charlie is working late and I don't want to be home alone, I agreed. As the sun was setting, Jake arrived to pick me up from Charlie's house in his black pickup truck. I got in and we headed to First Beach. I didn't know what outfit was appropriate for a bonfire party, so I opted for just a pair of light wash jeans, a red plaid shirt with a white tank top underneath, and a pair of sneakers to go with the outfit.

It's dark outside when Jake pulls up in front of the beach. I see a small group of people sitting in chairs around the fire. Billy is among them. We get out, and Jake goes around the back of the truck to retrieve a rolled-up blanket from the cargo bed. He takes my hand and, together, we walk down the sandy path towards the others. As we're getting closer, I can hear chatter.

"Hey, everyone," Jacob speaks, getting everyone's attention. "This is Bella Swan. Chief Swan's daughter." All eyes land on me, and I want to go crawl in a hole and never come out. Instead, I smile and give a small wave. "Dad, I hope you don't mind that I invited her."

Billy smiles. "Not at all. But I must warn you, Bella. Whatever you hear must be kept to yourself. You cannot tell anyone about it. Not even Charlie."

I'm confused at what he means by that, but I agree anyway.

"Shall we get started?" Billy asks, and everyone in the group nods.

Jake is still holding my hand, and I let him lead the way to a vacant spot beside his dad. He lays the blanket on the sandy ground, sitting down on it and taking me with him.

"I thought this was a bonfire party," I whisper as I snuggle closer to his body.

"It's actually a council meeting," he whispers back. "We have one every Friday night."

"Why didn't you tell me it was a council meeting?" I ask, not rudely. "I shouldn't even be here. I'm not Quileute."

"No, but I think it'll be great for you to hear the histories," Jake says.

I'm about to say something, but Billy starts talking.

"The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning, but we never disappeared. We were spirit warriors. Shape-shifters. We could transform from a man to a powerful wolf, enabling us to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe.

"Many years ago, the first spirit warriors came across a man who was hard as stone and cold as ice," Billy continues. "He had killed three of our people and the spirit warriors were angry. One of them charged at the man, transforming into a wolf. The wolf sunk his sharp teeth into the man's neck, tearing him apart, killing him instantly. But only fire can completely destroy the man they called a Cold One.

"The tribe lived in fear that the Cold One was not alone. They were right. There was another Cold One, and she had taken her vengeance out on the village. Taha Aki, the last elder chief, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after the Cold One killed his son.

"Angry, he came at her, transforming into a wolf. Taha Aki's third wife saw that her husband was losing as he tried to destroy the Cold One. The Third Wife knew there was only one thing that could save Taha Aki. She took the knife from her dead son's hand and stabbed herself in the chest, knowing the smell of blood would distract the Cold One. It did, and Taha Aki ripped her head off with his sharp teeth, killing her."

Jake wraps his arms around me as I lay my head on his shoulder.

"The Third Wife sacrificed herself to save our tribe. Over time, our enemies have disappeared but one remains. The Cold Ones. Our magic awakens when they're near, and we sense it now. Something terrible is about to happen and we will be ready."

* * *

"Hey, Bella," I hear someone whisper in my ear. "We're here."

Feeling groggy, I open my eyes. "Where are we?" I ask, yawning and stretching. My hand immediately lands on something soft. I turn my head and Jake's face is inches from mine. I feel uncomfortable, but I also don't want him to pull away.

"Where are we?" I ask again, looking out the window.

"We're at your house," Jake explains. "You immediately fell asleep once we were in my truck. You must've been really tired."

I feel my eyes become droopy, and I try but fail to keep them open.

"Okay, I think it's time I take you to bed," I hear Jake chuckle. I hear the sound of a door opening then closing. The last thing I remember is Jake opening the passenger door, unbuckling my seat belt, taking me in his arms, and carrying me up to the house, closing the passenger door with his foot.

* * *

I wake up to find I'm in my bed, underneath the sheets. The curtains are closed, but I could still see a bit of sunlight seep through the cracks. I look down to find myself in the same clothes I was wearing last night. I get out of bed but don't bother to fix my appearance. I must look like a mess with my dishevelled hair, dirty face, and wrinkled clothes, but I don't care.

I open my bedroom door and make my way down the stairs to the kitchen. I see Jake sitting at the table by the window, drinking a cup of coffee. He catches my eye and without thinking, I squeal and turn back around, hiding behind the wall. I don't want him to see me looking like this.

"Morning, Bella," I hear him call out, chuckling, as I lean against the wall.

Embarrassed, I stutter before answering, "Uh, morning Jake. I didn't know you were here."

"Yeah, your dad invited me in just as he was heading out to work," Jake tells me. "He told me to help myself to whatever I want in the kitchen as long as I don't burn the house down. He chuckles, and I feel a little wetness between my thighs. I curse myself for suddenly feeling this way about my best friend. "Don't worry, Bella. I won't burn the house down. Your dad is a cop so who knows what he'll do if I did."

It's quiet for a moment. I feel my stomach growl, but I don't want to go into the kitchen right now with Jake sitting there.

"You're going to have to come out at some point," Jake says. "I can hear your stomach growling."

Sighing, I slowly enter the kitchen.

"Oh, don't you look nice," Jake grins.

I just glare at him as I make my way to one of the top cupboards to grab a box of Cheerios. I like going to the diner almost every night, but I would still like to have a home-cooked meal. So Thursday after school, I had made a grocery list and drove to the only grocery store in Forks to get everything on the list. Charlie was ecstatic when I came home with four bags of groceries, but he told me I didn't have to do that and he could've gone grocery shopping himself.

I can feel Jake watching me as I grab a bowl from the drying rack and pour Cheerios into it before grabbing the milk from the fridge and pouring it in as well. With the bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other, I drag myself over to the table and sit down across from Jake. He is still watching me as I eat my breakfast, but I refuse to make eye contact with him. Awkward silence falls between us.

"So what did you think about the stories last night?" Jake finally asks.

"They were interesting," I tell him between mouthfuls of cereal, still not meeting his gaze. "Is it true, though? Are you really descended from wolves?" This time, I do look up but am suddenly lost in those dark brown eyes of his. I swallow and just continue to stare at him.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Jake asks with a smile. "You look a little flushed."

"Uh," I start, "I, uh, I'm fine. I just lost my train of thought."

"Well, to answer your question, yes we are descended from wolves," Jake says. "But I haven't Phased as we like to call it now. At least, not yet. But I will soon. I just know it."

"I would like to see," I hear myself say. "I mean, I've already heard the stories so why not see for myself."

Jake's smile falters. He's serious now, which is a first because he's always so cheerful. At least, around me. "It can be dangerous, Bella. I could hurt you."

I shrug my shoulders. "I know you won't. I trust you."

Jake purses his lips. "I'll have to talk to the council."

"Okay," I say and go back to eating, neither of us saying anything more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for helping me with this story.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga**

* * *

 **JPOV**

I am in love with Bella Swan. I've known since she came back to Forks. I can't stop staring at her with love and adoration as we stroll along First Beach, hand in hand. Now that she knows about vampires and werewolves, I want to do everything I can to keep her safe and protect her from harm.

"You keep staring at me," Bella points out, turning to gaze up at me with a smile. "Not that I'm complaining, but it's creeping me out."

"Sorry," I say with a sheepish grin.

"What's on your mind?" she asks, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

I've never expressed my feelings for a girl before. Then again, I've never liked or even loved anyone the way I love Bella. Most of the women on the reservation are family, and the others are typical mean girls who only care about their looks and money. Bella is nothing like those girls. She's smart, kind, funny, and beautiful, even when she looks like a mess, the way she did this morning.

I take a deep breath. "Bella, there's something I need to tell you."

She stops walking and turns to face me. She gazes up at me with her brown doe eyes, and I fight the urge to cup her face in my hands and kiss her senseless.

"Is everything okay?" she asks, the concern on her face making her look even cuter.

I reach up with one hand and place it on her cheek, rubbing soothing circles with the rough pad of my thumb. "I'm in love with you, Isabella Swan. Since you came back to Forks, I can't stop thinking about you. You are constantly invading my thoughts and my dreams. You are funny, smart, well-mannered, and beautiful, even when you look like a mess." Bella looks down at her feet, and I can see the blush on her cheeks. I lift her chin up with a finger. "Don't be embarrassed. I will always love you, no matter what."

We stand there on First Beach, simply gazing at each other, and I want so badly to kiss the love of my life.

"I love you too, Jacob Black," Bella admits after a moment. "I don't what it is about you, but when I'm around you, I feel safe and protected."

I can't take it anymore. I cup Bella's face in my hands and lean down to press my lips to hers. She doesn't kiss me back right away, probably taken aback by how sudden it was. When she does, it's the best thing in the world; us standing on the beach, kissing as if our lives depend on it. I pull away and just gaze down at my beautiful Bella, a huge smile on my face. A cold breeze blows past, and Bella shivers at the change in weather.

"Let's head back to my house," I say, chuckling. I pull Bella into my arms, warming her up on the walk back to my truck.

* * *

Charlie and Billy were ecstatic when Bella and I told them we are officially a couple, although we haven't gone on our first date yet. Charlie even threatened to shoot me with his hunting rifle if I ever hurt his beloved daughter, which made me really uncomfortable. Bella put her hand on my knee, which did something to me below the waist, and assured me Charlie wouldn't really do that. Most likely, he'll just chase after me with his rifle rather than actually shoot me with it. That didn't make me feel any better.

Bella and I are sitting on the back porch of my house, gazing up at the stars. Well, _she's_ gazing up at the stars while I'm gazing at her like a lovesick teenager with a huge crush on the most beautiful girl in the world. We had just finished dinner that Bella made, and while Bella and I are on the back porch, Charlie and my dad are having a beer in the living room to talk about whatever it is men their age talk about.

"I've been thinking," I start, getting Bella's attention by taking her hand and turning it over, making small circles on her palm with my thumb, "I want to take you out on a date. You know, since we confessed our love for each other six hours ago."

"What do you have in mind?" she asks, smiling at me. Dear god, she's going to be the death of me.

"Well," I say, "there's not much to do on the reservation or in Forks, but we could go on a picnic. First Beach is starting to become our favourite hangout. I can't cook, but I can make sandwiches."

Bella's smile grows wide, and I fight the urge to cup her face in my hands and kiss her senseless. "I would like that," she says. "But instead of just sandwiches, I can make my chicken salad. It's really good. You'll love it."

"I can't wait," I say, and lean in to press my lips on hers. Bella reciprocates, and we kiss for what feels like an eternity.

"Get a room, you two!" We hear my dad call out and pull away to find him and Charlie in the back door, grinning at us. I chuckle, and Bella buries her face against my neck with a smile.

"So I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon?" I whisper in her ear.

She leans back and gazes up at me, the smile never leaving her beautiful face. "It's a date."


	7. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry for not updating this story. I have writer's block where I would write out the first sentence, only to get stuck after that. I've also been distracted by other things, even though I have a lot of time on my hands. I might just delete this story and re-upload it for what will probably be the third or fourth time. I'm not a perfectionist, but I've read a lot of other FanFiction stories (mostly Twilight, Bella/Jacob pairing) and they are almost perfect. Shoutout to I'm-an-angry-baby. I have a lot of favourite FanFiction authors, but if you are reading this, you're my number one favourite. Also, a shoutout to my Beta reader, Nicole (nicoleXben), for being patient with me while I try to write SOMETHING for you to edit.**

 **Please be patient with me and continue to favourite/follow this story. I've always loved writing stories, ever since I could remember, and I'm happy that I found this site where I could share what I've written to the world.**


	8. Chapter 7

**I'm back with another chapter. My apologies for the very long wait. Writer's block and personal stuff came up. I'm on my own with this story, so I'm not sure how it will go. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll get confused as to what's going on.**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga.**

* * *

 **BPOV**

"So, how did your mom die?" Jake asks, wrapping an arm around me, pulling me closer to his warm body. We had just finished a delicious picnic lunch and are now sitting on the blue blanket, watching the ocean waves crash against the shore. It's cold out, but Jake's body is shielding me from it, like my own personal heater.

I pull away from him, feeling uncomfortable as I wrap my arms around myself. He notices this. "I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I shouldn't have asked. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm so stupid." He mumbles this last part, lowering his head in shame.

"It's okay," I tell him and he lifts his head to meet my gaze. "I knew I'd have to talk about it at some point."

"Again, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Jake says.

"I want to," I say, truthfully. I take a deep breath before starting, "My mom was a waitress who worked hard to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. Sometimes, she would work double shifts, which she didn't mind doing because it meant she'd get paid more. That night, though, she was only supposed to work a single shift, but a co-worker had called in sick and there was no one else to take _her_ shift. So, my mom ended up working until late into the evening.

"I was at home, doing homework in the kitchen, when my mom texted me around ten in the evening to let me know that she just got off work and was now on her way home. It was only a ten-minute drive from the restaurant where she worked to our apartment. It was ten thirty and my mom still wasn't home. I called and texted her five times, but she didn't answer.

"I had school the next day so I had to get to bed. Three hours later, I woke up to the doorbell ringing. When I went to go answer it, two police officers were standing on our doorstep. That's when one of them told me the sad news." I take another deep breath before letting it out, playing with the loose thread on my sweater, hiding my face from Jake so he doesn't see the tears that are threatening to fall down my face. "My mom was killed in a car accident. They told me another car was driving in the opposite direction and was going to run right into her, but she swerved just in time to avoid being hit, only to skid off the road and crash into a light post." I stop, knowing full well what happened next. I suddenly start to hyperventilate as the memory of what the female officer said flashes before my eyes. Jake is quick to pull me into his arms, whispering soothing words to calm me down.

"There was gas leaking out of my mom's car," I gasp between breaths. "Sparks were flying out from the damaged lamp post. One landed in the pool of gasoline, causing the car to explode with my mom in it." By that point, I'm full-on crying now, against Jake's chest as he gently rocks me back and forth in his arms.

"Shh, it's okay, Bells," he whispers and I smile weakly, remembering Bells was his nickname for me when we were kids. "Just let it out."

After a while, I pull away and wipe the tears with my sweater sleeve. I stare at the mess on Jake's shirt. I smile weakly up at him. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asks.

I gesture to his shirt, the front wet from my tears. "I got your shirt all wet."

Jake just laughs, glancing down at the mess. "Don't worry about it," he tells me. "I can always wash this."

We both laugh at that. I turn and gaze out at the ocean, feeling calm now. "Do you want to know the funny thing?"

"What's that?" Jake asks, curiously.

I turn to face him. "My mom and I never fought once. She was strict with me, but I never complained or broken any of the rules."

"That is funny," he laughs a little. "Weird, even. My parents were kind of the same. The only time they did fight was when my dad would be careless with his health."

"How is your mom?" I ask, changing the subject. "Is she still constantly baking? I remember whenever Charlie and I would come over to your house, it always smelled like something delicious. And we'd always leave with a pie or a plate of cookies or whatever your mom was making that day."

Now it's Jake's turn to be uncomfortable. "Oh, that's right. You don't know."

"Know what?" I ask.

He gives me a sad look. "She was killed in a car accident seven years ago. A drunk driver ran through a red light and crashed into her. She died on the way to the hospital."

"Oh, Jake," I say, moving closer to place my hands in his. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"I guess we both have lost a parent to a car accident," Jake says, laughing weakly. "But it's a good thing you're an only child. My dad fell into a deep depression for a long time after my mom died so Rachel and Rebecca had to take care of themselves and me. By the time Dad got out of it, they were old enough to leave home.

"They were happy about it, too, because it meant they no longer needed to deal with Dad's problems. The diabetes had gotten worse, to the point where he couldn't walk anymore and therefore, became confined to a wheelchair. I'm the only one taking care of him now."

"I'm so sorry, Jake," I say again. "I'm sorry you have to go through this on your own. I wish I'd been there to support you and Billy when things got bad for you two."

"You were young," he says. "Your mom was leaving your dad and there was nothing you could do about it."

"But now there is," I tell him. "I'm not going anywhere, Jacob Black. I'm staying in Forks, permanently."

"But, Bella, you have college to think about," Jake says, lightly squeezing my hands that are still holding his. "You have a future to think about. I don't want to keep you from pursuing your dreams. I don't want to be that kind of boyfriend."

I blush when he says the word, "boyfriend." It's still hard to believe he's mine and I'm his.

"You're not," I say. "It's my choice whether or not I want to go to college. I mean, I'd have to really think about it, but I could always take online courses."

"If that's what you want," Jake says. "Just know that whatever you choose, I'll support you."

I smile at him and lean in to kiss him on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you," he grins.

We sit like this, facing each other, gazing into each other's eyes. After a while, the weather gets colder and we pack up and head back to Jake's truck, hand in hand.


End file.
